Building a scalable, systematic firm that doesn’t drive you into the ground, with Ryan Lazanis

Accounting Leaders Podcast

Ryan Lazanis joins Stuart on the Accounting Leaders Podcast for an inspiring chat around the future of the accounting profession, the model for a scalable, systematic accounting firm, and how to build a firm that can give you the life you want. Ryan founded Xen Accounting, a 100% cloud-based accounting firm, in 2013. Following its acquisition in 2018, he started Future Firm to provide content and coaching to help other accountants fast-track their own firm.

Ryan and Stuart discuss:

• Founding Xen Accounting in 2013 (1:30)
• How Ryan got into accounting and was exposed to entrepreneurship from a young age (3:00)
• Creating a new kind of model for accounting (6:20)
• How the accounting industry has evolved (8:00)
• The decision to sell Xen Accounting (10:20)
• Establishing Future Firm to help accountants grow a scalable, systematic firm that they love (12:20)
• Accountants have never been taught to run a business (14:30)
• Why more is not better for a firm’s tech stack (15:50)
• The model for creating a scalable, systematic accounting firm (17:00)
• The future of Future Firm (20:00)
• The differences (and similarities) between a software company and a service company (22:00)
• The freedom and flexibility that comes with leading Future Firm (27:10)
• Pilot, Botkeeper and the future of accounting technology (29:40)
• How to learn more from Ryan (33:00)